Baix Empordà residents demand safer roads amid accident concerns

Hundreds of residents in Spain's Baix Empordà region have taken to the streets, demanding urgent improvements to road safety. Approximately 400 people participated in a slow march, walking, cycling, or using tractors, from Serra de Daró to Mas Bahí, to protest the perceived lack of investment in the local road network.

The platform 'Prou Excuses' (No More Excuses) and about twenty mayors from the region led the demonstration. They are calling for the widening of roads, many of which are single-lane with no shoulder. Protesters argue that these conditions contribute to a high rate of accidents in the Baix Ter area.

While acknowledging a recent package of measures announced by the regional government, the platform expressed skepticism. "Until we see machinery here, we won't believe it," stated a representative, emphasizing that decades of unfulfilled promises have eroded their trust. The group claims that an accident occurs in the Baix Ter region approximately every fifteen days since their formation.

Francesc Baquer, a member of 'Prou Excuses,' clarified that the demand is not for entirely new infrastructure but for the adaptation of existing roads to meet current safety standards. The protest also served as a tribute to victims of road accidents in the area, with two family members of those who died leading the march. Carme Bonilla recounted how her husband was killed by a truck last December while returning from a doctor's appointment.

Beyond road widening, the platform also advocates for better public transportation and safer conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, aiming to create a more secure and accessible mobility system for the region.